zotero-mcp-server
Provides an MCP server that connects a user's Zotero library to AI assistants, enabling semantic/keyword search, retrieval of item metadata/full text/attachments and annotations, and write operations (e.g., add items by DOI/URL/file, manage collections/tags/notes). Supports local Zotero access, web API access, and an MCP transport option (stdio/streamable-http/sse). Optional extras add semantic search embeddings, PDF outline/annotation extraction, and Scite citation intelligence.
Score Breakdown
⚙ Agent Friendliness
🔒 Security
Supports local Zotero mode (reduces exposure) and web API mode via API key (higher exposure). README documents environment variables for secrets (API keys) but does not describe secret handling practices (e.g., logging redaction) or transport security details for MCP transports. Dependency hygiene is not verifiable from provided manifest beyond stated libraries.
⚡ Reliability
Best When
You want local, offline-capable research assistants that can query and update a personal Zotero library via MCP tools.
Avoid When
You need a fully managed hosted service with published SLAs, or you require OAuth-style user delegation and fine-grained scopes enforced by a centralized auth layer.
Use Cases
- • Ask an AI to search a Zotero library by keywords, tags, and complex filters
- • Semantic search over Zotero items using embeddings (local or API-based)
- • Retrieve Zotero item metadata in BibTeX/markdown formats for downstream analysis
- • Extract and search PDF annotations and Zotero native annotations
- • Add papers to Zotero automatically by DOI/URL or import from local PDF/EPUB
- • Augment results with Scite citation tallies and retraction alerts (optional)
Not For
- • Use as a public internet-facing API without strong network/auth controls
- • Environments that cannot store or access Zotero data locally/web API safely
- • Use cases requiring strict audit/compliance workflows without additional controls and review
Interface
Authentication
Auth is primarily configuration via environment variables. No OAuth/user-delegation or fine-grained MCP permission model is described in the provided README.
Pricing
Project is MIT-licensed; any external model/provider usage depends on enabled extras and configured API keys.
Agent Metadata
Known Gotchas
- ⚠ Semantic search requires optional extras and a database build/update step (e.g., update-db); tool availability/behavior may differ depending on enabled extras.
- ⚠ PDF annotation extraction may download additional tools on first use; this can add latency and require network access.
- ⚠ Local mode requires Zotero local API enabled; failures may occur if Zotero preferences are not set.
- ⚠ Web API (cloud library) requires ZOTERO_API_KEY and correct library identifiers; tool behavior can vary between local vs hybrid modes.
Alternatives
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Scores are editorial opinions as of 2026-04-04.